A third win in a row for Michael Carrick highlights the failures of Ruben Amorim's time at Manchester United
"The best feeling."
A lot of words have been spoken since the sacking of Ruben Amorim about a reconnection with Manchester United's DNA.
There are plenty who question whether it even exists.
If there is such a thing, this is it. United snatching a winner, deep into stoppage-time, just as it seemed victory would prove elusive. Michael Carrick's post-match assessment summed up the view of many.
Benjamin Sesko is entitled to the headlines after delivering the dramatic ending.
But when the dust settles on the 3-2 win over Fulham, United fans may start to look back further to Ruben Amorim's ill-fated 14 months in charge and wonder whether their club effectively wasted a year.
Amorim presided over victories like this.
The 5-4 epic against Lyon in the Europa League last April was even more dramatic given it involved two goals in the final minute of extra time.
Go back further and Carrick played in them. He was an injury-time substitute before Michael Owen scored his famous Manchester derby winner at Old Trafford in 2009.
The feeling doesn't change.
"It's the best feeling," said Carrick.
"Some of the best moments here I've been lucky enough to be a part of, when you get a moment of elation and excitement like that.
"There's no better place, in front of the Stretford End - and it ends up meaning a bit more.
"People leave here with more than just a United win. It puts layers on top of that through the connection and the emotion. It's why we all love it so much.
"That excitement is part of this club. It's not always the easiest way. We'd like to win games a little bit more comfortably than that.
"But certainly, when they come along, it's pretty special."
Rebuilding after Amorim's ill-fated tenure
Let's get a few facts out there.
Manchester United were winning their third Premier League game in a row, in the third game of Carrick's second spell in charge. It took Amorim 36 to do that and only the once did he manage three-in-a-row - or even successive wins - in his entire 14 months at Old Trafford.
In responding to victories for Chelsea and Liverpool the previous day, United returned to fourth spot in the table. Amorim never had them placed so highly at the end of a match round.
Including his first spell in 2021, Carrick has now won four of his five league games in charge.
He is the third United manager to achieve that, following Sir Matt Busby in 1946 and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in 2019. It took Amorim 12 league games to win four – and he won one out of the next 10. Amorim's record of 1.23 points per game in the Premier League is the lowest of all United managers since Sir Alex Ferguson left in 2013.
Then there is the formation – and personnel.
Evidently, United have not resolved their defensive frailties, but the switch to four at the back from three has not made them worse.
That fundamental tactical switch from Amorim's regime has been key in creating the space for Kobbie Mainoo's return. Mainoo failed to start a single league game under Amorim this season after he was pitched in direct competition with skipper Bruno Fernandes for a starting spot.
Mainoo cruised through the Fulham game. Defensively, supposedly his weakness, he was solid. Going forward his passing and ability to find space was invaluable as Carrick's side sought ways through the opposition defences.
"Kobbie's performance was very good today in so many ways," said Carrick.
"There was a lot of work for Kobbie and Casemiro to do in the middle of the pitch. That was without the ball, and I thought he was terrific in that.
"With the ball, and I've spoken about it before, he's not fazed.
"He understands what's needed and he comes up with moments of quality.
"It's what we have come to expect from him but you forget how young he is.
"He's still got loads to come but seeing him today, playing with that kind of confidence in their belief, is a real joy."
Next up for United, they entertain Tottenham.
Next weekend's fixture is a rematch of last season's Europa League final when Amorim failed to come up with a gameplan to beat a Tottenham side that were awful last season and have not improved much domestically in the current campaign. The visitors will though be encouraged by their own weekend result, coming from two down to draw with Manchester City and relieve some pressure on Thomas Frank, who replaced Ange Postecoglou after he had beaten United in Bilbao.
Defeat in that win or bust encounter for a place in this season's Champions League cost United massively, in both prestige and finance. Amorim could have been sacked then.
Instead, the club kept faith. But after the 1-1 draw with Leeds at the beginning of last month, United's powerbrokers were not willing to risk missing out on Europe for a second season in a row.
In the space of three games, Carrick has put the club into a Champions League position, and built a five-point buffer on seventh-placed Brentford, knowing sixth would open up entry to the Europa League, which was United's stated aim for the season as a whole.
Debate will continue about whether Carrick should get the job.
But there is little argument now on whether Amorim should have been dismissed, only if he should have been there in the first place.
As one critic who knows United well observed many months ago, "apart from his press conferences, what is he actually any good at?"
Category: General Sports
